Liquid pick-up and transfer means



y 8, 1953 H. E. SHEARER LIQUID PICK-UP AND TRANSFER MEANS Filed Aug. 5, 1947 INVENTOR. H0 WARD E. \S'HEARER Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID PICK-UP AND TRANSFER MEANS Howard E. Shearer, Swarthmore, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Dcl., a corporation of Delaware Application August 5, 1947, Serial No. 766,301

Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved liquid transfer means. Particularly, the invention relates to means for transferring a moist material, such as liquid to an article, such as paper sheet or the like, to thereby impart a predetermined design or pattern thereto.

In the conventional methods of manufacturing wallpaper carrying a design, for example, a design differing in color from the background, the coloring liquid is transferred to the paper by means of a transfer roll having, on its surface, one or more segments of wool felt which, in aggregate, make up the design. The design is first outlined on the surface of the roll, after which thin strips of metal are hammered into the surface, in conformity with the outlines of the design, and so that they project upwardly from the surface of the roll for a distance of about A". A wool felt is hammered into the spaces lying within the outlines defined by the metal strips. In use, the roll is contacted with the liquid, such as a coloring liquid, which it is desired to transfer to the paper, andis then rotated to bring the wool felt inserts, which have absorbed the coloring solution, into contact with the paper, Whereby transfer of the coloring liquid to the paper is effected.

This means of effecting the liquid transfer has several important disadvantages, the most important of which is the ready penetration of the liquid into and through the wool felt segments with consequent swelling and distortion of the latter, and the development of irregularities in the surfaces thereof, which show hills and valleys on close examination. These irregularities are transferred to the paper, and the design imparted to the latter shows many imperfections. It is found that the wool felt segments are so swollen and misshapen after only a comparatively brief period of use, that it is necessary to remove the transfer rolls from service,

at periodic, often very frequent, intervals and turn them down on a lathe, to again smooth the surfaces and align the felt surfaces and the upper edges of the metal strips.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved liquid transfer means such that the disadvantages enumerated above are entirely avoided. Another object is to provide a liquid transfer means which may be used continuously for prolonged periods. A further object is to provide a transfer roll carrying means for transferring a liquid from a source of supply to paper or the like, which means .is substantially permanently dimensionally stable in the presence of moisture.

These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention in accordance with which there is provided a transfer device comprising substantially non-absorbent hard, felt-like fibrous liquid pick-up and transfer means which is substantially permanently stable to swelling, shrinkage, and distortion in the presence of moisture, comprising at least some synthetic shrinkable thermoplastic fibers in bonded, fully shrunk, and hardened condition. 7

The fibrous liquid pick-up and transfer means of the invention may be of the pressed mat type, made by subjectin the fibers, in the form of a mat, bat, or web to the action of heat, for example, steam, or to the action of an organic liquid or mixture of liquids capable of effecting shrinkage of the fibers, under a light constant pressure which is sufiicient to prevent curling or buckling of the fibrous assembly, but insufficient to inhibit or interfere with complete shrinkage of the synthetic thermoplastic shrinkable fibers, the heat or liquid treatment being continued until the shrinkable fibers have completely expended their residual shrinkage component with accompanying condensation of the mat and are converted to a tacky or adhesive condition in which they adhere to or bond with themselves or other fibers present, at their points of contact, while remaining in substantially fibrous form, i. e., without loss of identity of any of the fibers as such. The pressure exerted on the mat, bat, or web during the steam or liquid treatment, :hich latter may be performed by spraying, or by immersion, must be low, and preferably just sufficient to maintain constant contact with the surfaces of the mat, during shrinkage of the shrinkable fibers and condensation of the mat, to insure that the surfaces remain flat and smooth.

After the synthetic thermoplastic fibers have been brought to the fully-shrunk, adhesive or tacky state, and no longer possess the capacity to shrink, the mat is subjected to increased pressure, while the fibers are in the adhesive state, to insure firm, substantially permanent bonding of the fibers together. At this stage, the fiat condensed product comprising the fully shrunk and bonded fibers may be hardened to the point where it is capable of being sawed or otherwise machined without undergoing shattering or disintegration or it may be maintained in the somewhat plastic condition resulting from the steam or liquid treatment, in which it can be directly associated with a transfer roll, and then hardened in situ on the surface of a roller, or in contact with suitable rotatable or otherwise movable means. When the fibrous liquid transfer means of the invention is to be associated with a transfer roll or similar device, carrying on its surface upstanding metal or other similar inserts providing thin walls which conform to the outline of a design on the surface of the roll, such as are used in the manufacture of wallpaper, for instance, the somewhat soft and plastic steam or liquid treated assembly comprising the bonded and fully shrunk fibers, may be hammered into the spaces lying between the inner surfaces of the upstanding walls, the sharp upper edges of the latter serving to subdivide the mat or web into segments which fit snugly against the inner surfaces of the walls and, in aggregate, make up the design which it is desired to impart to the paper or the like.

Instead of associating the condensed assembly comprising the fully shrunk and bonded fibers with a transfer roll or the like immediately after the steam or liquid treatment, and while it is in the somewhat soft and plastic condition, it may be brought to a condition of hardness comparable to that desired for the final product, by subjecting it to increased pressure and drying or cooling thereof to set the fibers in the bonded relation, stored, and subsequently, just prior to associating it with a roller or the like, brought to a somewhat soft and plastic condition in which it can be handled easily, by again subjecting it to steam or liquid treatment. This treatment does not, of course, effect shrinkage of the fibers or swelling of the product, since the fibers are fully shrunk and the product is stabilized during the initial treatments.

Instead of associating the fibrous liquid pickup and transfer means with a transfer roll carrying metallic or like inserts as described, it may comprise the entire surface of a rotatable or other movable member, that is it may be secured to and comprise the entire outer surface of such a member, or it may be in the form of a roll or other shape and associated with means, such as a rotatable shaft, for effecting movement thereof.

Instead of a pressed fibrous mat or bat, the product may be similar to a fulled wool felt.

The shrinkable synthetic fibers may be formed from any thermoplasticfiber-forming materials, particularly thermoplastic resins or thermosetting resins in the thermoplastic condition, such as vinyl resins, which term includes the acrylate and alkacrylate resins, polymers of vinyl ethers, such as vinyl acetals, vinylidene halides, methacrylate polymers, copolymers or interpolymers of vinyl chloride with other polymerizable substances containing the vinyl radical, notably copolymers or interpolymers of vinyl chloride with vinyl acetate or with acrylonitrile, etc. Fibers formed from the thermoplastic materials have the capacity to shrink under heating, or in the presence of organic swelling liquids therefor, the per cent residual shrinkability possessed by the fibers depending upon whether they have only been stretched to the extent incidental to their formation or spinning, or have been subjected to after-stretching, i. e., subjected to positive stretching after their production and while they are in the cold unsoftened state or in somewhat softened and plastic condition. Those fibers which are only stretched to the extent incidental to their production have a comparatively low residual shrinkage capacity, are herein termed unstretched fibers and are preferred for the present purposes. For instance, in a preferred specific embodiment of the invention, the fibrous liquid pick-up and transfer means comprises fibers of a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate which have not been subjected to any stretching except the normal spinning stretch, and possessing, initially, a residual shrinkage capacity of about 35% under conditions such that the fibers are rendered adhesive, the copolymer fibers in the final product being shrunk about 35%.

As has been indicated, the fibrous pick-up and transfer means may consist entirely of the fully shrunk and bonded synthetic thermoplastic fibers, or comprise a mixture of such fibers and other fibers, such as fibers of wool, cotton, regenerated cellulose, or the like, the synthetic shrinkable fibers being present in varying amounts down to 50% of the total. For example, the fibrous liquid pick-up and transfer means may comprise a fulled felt formed from a mixture of wool fibers and fully shrunk synthetic shrinkable fibers, the latter being present in an amount of at least 50% and serving to stabilize the wool fibers against swelling in use.

The fibers may be assembled in the form of a bat, mat, or web, in any suitable manner, as, for example, by carding, or by blowing them into a confined space in which they are intimately commingled and collected in the commingled state, the latter method of assembly being especially desirable when the fibers are of less than normal textile-making length.

When shrinkage of the shrinkable synthetic fibers to the fully shrunk condition is effected by immersing or otherwise treating the fibers in the form of a mat or the like with an organic liquid, the particular liquid, or mixture of liquids, used will depend upon the nature of the shinkable synthetic fibers. As an example, when the mat or bat initially obtained comprises fibers of a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl actate, the fibers may be fully shrunk by immersing or otherwise treating the assembly with a mixture comprising about 58% of acetone and about 42% alcohol, until the fibers no longer shrink on exposure to the liquid. The assembly comprising the fully shrunk and bonded fibers may be hardened, by freeing it of residual liquid, and subsequently rendered soft and plastic by again treating it with a mixture of acetone and alcohol, or by heat-treating it, as may be preferred.

The outstanding characteristic of the fibrous liquid pick-up and transfer means comprising the synthetic shrinkable thermoplastic fibers in the fully shrunk, bonded, condensed and hardened condition is its dimensional stability in the presence of moisture. The liquid pick-up and transfer means is substantially non-absorbent, by which is meant that liquid picked up thereby is held at the surface and does not penetrate through the cross-section. Thus, when a transfer roll carrying on its surface liquid pickup and transfer members making up a design which is to be transferred, in color, to paper or the like, is rotated to bring the members into contact with the coloring liquid, the liquid is picked up at the surface of the members but the latter are not colored or dyed in cross-section, even when the members are comparatively thin and have a thickness of only about /4". The liquid pick-up and transfer means does not undergo dimensional change in use in the presence of moisture, and transfer rolls, the entire surface of which comprises such a means, or carries a plurality of such means making up a design or pattern may be used for practically indefinite periods, without requiring removal from service for smoothing the surface, or for replacement of the liquid pick-up and transfer means.

The accompanying drawing is illustrative of the invention. In the drawing,

of Figure 1 and provided with liquid pick-up and transfer means in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there are shown a press roll 2 and a transfer roll 3 which are driven by suitable means (not shown) for rotation in the direction of the arrows, and between which the material being acted upon, for example, a strip or sheet of paper t is advanced continuous- 1y at a predetermined speed. As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the transfer roll 3 carries on its surface a plurality of thin strips of metal 5 which project from the surface of the roll for a distance of about A" and conform to the outlines of the design on the surface of the roll, in the present case, stripes. Fibrous liquid pickup and transfer members 6 comprising shrinkable synthetic thermoplastic fibers, for example fibers of a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, in fully shrunk, bonded, and hardened condition, fit snugly between, and frictionally engage the walls of, the pairs of metal strips defining the stripes which are to be imparted, in

color, to the paper 4. By rotation of the transfer roll 3, the liquid take-up and transfer members carried thereby are caused to brush against an endless felt band I which passes continuously around the pulleys 8 and 9. Pulley 9 is supported in the vessel in, below the level of the coloring liquid contained in the vessel, for example, an aqueous solution of a suitable dye, so that the felt band 7 passing through the liquid picks up the liquid and carries it to the liquid pick-up and transfer members 6. A scraping element, such as a doctor blade II, is secured to the inside wall of the vessel and contacts the endless band I as it travels from the liquid to the transfer roll, the excess liquid being thereby stripped from the band and returned to vessel ID. The liquid picked up by the members 6 on the surface of roll 3 is carried to the paper 4 and transferred thereto in the form or design of stripes. As will be readily understood, the design may of any kind, and the paper may be passed through a plurality of stages at each of which different designs, or a number of figures making up a single composite design, are imparted to the paper. The liquid may be a coloring liquid, or it may be any other appropriate effect liquid which it is desired to transfer to the paper or the like.

Modifications and variations may be made in carrying out the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is to be understood therefore that the invention is not to be limited except as necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for transferring a moist material onto the surface of an article comprising a movable member, means comprising spaced thin walls secured to and projecting outwardly of the surface of the member to define the outlineof a design to be transferred by the member, and, snugly fitted between the walls, a substantially nonabsorbent, hard, pressed fibrous mat having its exposed surface in the same plane as the outermost edges of the strips, at least 50% by weight of the fibers present in the fibrous mat being shrunk, organic, synthetic thermoplastic fibers adhesively bonded to each other and to any other fibers present in the mat, said mat having substantially permanent dimensional stability and 6, resistance to swelling, shrinking and distortion in the presence of moisture.

2. A device for transferring a moist material onto the surface of an article comprising a movable member, a pair of thin metal strips secured to and projecting outwardly of the surface of the member to define the outline of a design to be transferred by the member, and, snugly fitted between the strips, a substantially non-absorbent, hard, pressed fibrous mat having its exposed surface in the same plane as the outermost edges of the strips, at least 50% by weight of the fibers present in the fibrous mat being shrunk, organic, synthetic thermoplastic fibers adhesively bonded to each other and to any other fibers present in the mat, said mat having substantially permanent dimensional stability and resistance to swelling, shrinking and distortion in the presence of moisture.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that the fibrous mat comprises at least 50% by weight of fibers of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride.

4. A device for transferring a moist material onto the surface of an article comprising a rotatable roller, means secured to, and projecting outwardly from the surface of, the roller and comprising thin walls which conform to the outline of a design to be transferred by the member, and a substantially non-absorbent, hard, pressed fibrous mat fitting snugly between the inner surfaces of the walls and having its exposed surface in the same plane as the outermost edges of the walls, at least 50% by weight of the fibers present in the mat being shrunk, organic, synthetic thermoplastic fibers adhesively bonded to each other and to any other fibers in the mat, said mat having substantially permanent dimensional stability and resistance .to swelling, shrinkage, and distor tion in the presence of moisture.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the thermoplastic fibers are fibers of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride;

6. A device as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the thermoplastic fibers are fibers of a copolymer of vinyl chloride and acrylonitrile.

7. A device as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the fibrous mat comprises a, mixture of regenerated cellulose fibers and thermoplastic fibers of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride.

8. A device as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the fibrous mat comprises a mixture of regenerated cellulose fibers and fibers of a copolymer of vinyl chloride and acrylonitrile.

9. A device as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the fibrous mat comprises a mixture of wool fibers and fibers of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride.

10. A dewce as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the fibrous mat comprises a mixture of cotton fibers and fibers of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride.

HOWARD E. SHEARER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,278,895 Rugeley Apr. 7, 1942 2,319,834 Wallach May 25, 1943 2,336,797 Maxwell Dec. 14, 1943 2,357,392 Francis Sept. 5, 1944 2,374,540 Hall Apr. 24, 1945 

1. A DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING A MOIST MATERIAL ONTO THE SURFACE OF AN ARTICLE COMPRISING A MOVABLE MEMBER, MEANS COMPRISIGN SPACED THIN WALLS SECURED TO AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF THE SURFACE OF THE MEMBER TO DEFINE THE OUTLINE OF A DESIGN TO BE TRANSFERRED BY THE MEMBER, AND, SNUGLY FITTED BETWEEN THE WALLS, SUBSTANTIALLY NONABSORBENT, HARD, PRESSED FIBROUS MAT HAVING ITS EXPOSED SURFACE IN THE SAME PLANE AS THE OUTERMOST EDGES OF THE STRIPS, AT LEAST 50% BY WEIGHT OF THE FIBERS PRESENT IN THE FIBROUS MAT BEING SHRUNK, ORGANIC, SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTIC FIBERS ADHESIVELY BONDED TO EACH OTHER AND TO ANY OTHER FIBERS PRESENT IN THE MAT, SAID MAT HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY PERMANENT DIMENSIONAL STABILITY AND RESISTANCE TO SWELLING, SHRINKING AND DISTORTION IN THE PRESENCE OF MOISTURE. 